Spare-tire holder for automobiles.



"UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIeE.

LEO MCKINNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J OHN L. SNOW, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPARE-TIRE HOLDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept.` 3,v 1907.

Application ned may 14,1906. e semi No. 616,663.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lno P. MCKINNEY, a citizenbf the United States, residing at Boston, inthe county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spare-Tire Holders for Automobiles; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,land exact description of thev invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. The present invention 'relates to improvements in spare-.tire holders for automobiles.

It is customary to carry one or more spare pneumatic tires or tire shoes on automobiles, and for this purpose fixtures or holders'oi suitable form are frequentlysecured to the body of an automobile, usually at one side, to hold a tire or shoe in a convenient and accessiplan view ofthe base with the shank in section. Fig. l 3 is a vertical` section of the base looking iromlthe rear. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the shank.

A single holder is shown in the drawings, although it will be understood that such holders are to be used'in pairs, in the usual manner, the tire being inserted between the holders in an upright position and being secured to them at diametrically` opposite points.

The illustrated embodiment df the invention comprises a base which is secured permanently to thebody of the automobile and a bracket removably secured thereto and provided with means for engaging and securing the tire, and' the noveltyof the device resides in the manner in which these parts are secured together, this being accomplished by a joint so arranged that the parts may be readily unlocked by a movement of the bracket, and the bracket removed from the base, when there is no tire in the holders, while such unlocking is prevented, when the devicelis in use, by the presence of the tire, and the parts are then securely lockedto-y gether, while looseness and rattling at the joint is prevented by the 'peculiar formof the interlocking members, as will-be presently described.

The base l is provided with screw holes 2 for securing it to the automobile, and with a vertical socket 3 having a general cylindrical form but provided with a lat-A eral recess 4 (see Figs. 2 & 3). At the top of the socket the recess 4 is narrowed so aste leave alip 5 overhanging a portion of the recess. The'bracket G is provided with a crotch 7 for the reception ci the tire, and with a strap 8 to secure the tire in place. The bracket is secured to the base bya shank9 conforming in shape to the socket 3 and provided with a key 10 which projects into the recess 4. The shank is insertedwith the bracket swung to the `left so as to permit the key to enter the recess at the left of the lip 5, and the bracket is then swung to the right into the position oi Fig. 1 so that the top of the key is engaged by the lip and the shank is held securely in the socket. The tire is then put in place, as shown by dotted lines, 1, and so long as the tire is in place Vthe bracket is prevented, by its engagement therewith, from swinging to the-left and becoming unlocked.. The lower surface of the lip 5, as shown in Fig. 3, is inclined so that as the key passes under it, in locking the bracket in place, a wedging action occurs, and

whereas the key enters easily under the lip it is finallyl tire holder which operates, when in use, substantially like a permanent fixture, being perfectly secure and free from rattling, but which may be instantly unlocked,

when not in use, without the use of too'ls of any kind, so that it may be removed, with the exception of the base plate, which is small and projects only slightly' 'from the body of the automobile.-

By the bayonet-joint'constructionabove described the use of set screws, nuts, or other loose partis entirely av'oided, the device comprising but two pieces, of

, which one lis securedppermanently to the automobile.`

The construction of the tire-securing device on the bracket of the illustrated embodiment ot the invention is not an essentialfeatule of the invention, and the holder as a whole may be used lin various positions other than that shown in the drawings, The invention is not, in general, limited to the specific details of construction and operation above described, but may be embodied'in other forms broadly deiined in the claims.

Havinginow described the invention, what is claimed 1.1A spare-tireholder for automobiles, having, in com-v bination,a base, and a bracket secured thereto by u bayonet-joint and provided with. means for holding a tire, the bayonet-joint including two interlocking engaging surfaces of which one is inclined so asto have a wedging action and to take up lost motion between the'parts when thejoint is locked, substantially as described.

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2. A spare-tire holder foratomobiles, having, in combination, a base provided with a vertical socket comprising a cylindrical portion and a lateral recess, and with a lip over-hanging a portion of'the lateral recess, and a bracket providedy with means for holding a tire and with a stem for engaging said socket and provided 'with a vertical lkey for engaging the lateral recess and interlocking with the lip, substantially as described. Y

3. A spare-tire holder for automobiles having, in combination, a base and a bracket secured together by a-bayonet joint, the bracket being provided with a 'crotch `for engaging and holding a tire and the bayonet jointV being arranged to unlock by a movement of the bracket in the direction of the crotch, substantially as described.

4. A spare tire holder for automobiles adapted in cooperation with a device of similar or other suitable character to hold a spare tire on an automobile and comprising in combination a base anda bracket secured together by a bayonet joint, thc bracket beingprovided with avcrotch for engaging and holding a tire and a bayonet joint arranged to unlock by a movement of the bracket in the direction of the crotch, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

\ LEO P. MCKINNEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. Snow, l'XucNUM 11. Donsnr. 

